A teenager writes a letter to the city of Baltimore to share his thoughts on growing up in the city and the program that has helped steer his life in the right direction.

Interview with Writer/Director/Producer Matt Cipollone

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

I made Dear Baltimore to highlight the outstanding work being done by the youth program Next One Up. I have gotten to know the organization and their impressive student athletes over the past few years and wanted to make a film that showcased both their great work and told the stories of some of their most inspirational student athletes.

Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?

This film tells an uplifting story when far too frequently the narrative about young people in Baltimore City is negative. It shows the potential to transform lives when hardworking students are given the right support structure, and you get to know a hilarious and inspiring group of young people who truly appreciate the opportunity they have been given.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

Some universal themes in my film are opportunity, perseverance and potential. More importantly, the great things that can arise when these three themes intersect. When watching this film, it’s clear that Next One Up has cultivated a structure that allows young people to thrive, and my goal is to show that while this is a story specific to Baltimore City, this model of year-round support systems for teenagers should be encouraged and supported everywhere.

Dear Baltimore - Filming the students as they take a swim during their week at camp in Geneva, NY.

How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?

Sherrod Hawkes was always going to be one of my main characters. He has meant a lot to Next One Up, he is such a genuine and likeable person, and his story is representative of many young men of color growing up in Baltimore City. However, the concept of John Chalmers tying the film together with his letter to the city of Baltimore evolved organically over time. In getting to know John, he spoke about Baltimore as if it were a love/hate relationship with a family member, where he recognized the negative aspects but was still willing to accept the bad with the good to a certain degree. We talked about how it would feel to put those kinds of thoughts into a letter, and John took the idea and ran with it.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

It’s been incredible receiving the type of feedback that I have gotten so far. A wide range of people have responded very well to the film in general, but the most meaningful feedback came from the families of the students who let me know they were proud of the way the film represented them and their sons without hiding from the issues that face families in Baltimore City. It was also great to screen at the DC Shorts Film Festival with so many outstanding short films. To be considered in the same category as the other films that were accepted meant a lot to me.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

Overall, the feedback has been validating. This is my first real film after making a career change two years ago, so receiving such positive feedback serves as encouragement that it was absolutely the right move.

Dear Baltimore - John Chalmers shares his thoughts on growing up in Baltimore, Maryland.

What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?

Having my film featured on wearemovingstories.com will help me reach a wider audience and hopefully lead to some new professional connections and work opportunities. I really appreciate the platform provided by We Are Moving Stories and I look forward to making any new connections that come from my work being featured.

Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?

Film festival directors, journalists, and producers can all help amplify my film’s message. The exposure from being in a Baltimore-area film festival has already connected me with local journalists interested in the film and documentary media in general as a way to tell stories about important local work going on. I would love to expand my audience to reach viewers at a more national level through additional festivals and platforms like We Are Moving Stories.

What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?

I want Dear Baltimore to be looked at as both an impactful, inspirational story and an informative piece on the potential of youth mentoring programs.

What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?

What can be achieved when at-risk youth are given year-round support structures and exceptional role models?

Dear Baltimore - Matt Cipollone and some students from Baltimore's Reservoir Hill neighborhood fly a drone to capture the film's opening sequence.

Would you like to add anything else?

Thank you so much for taking an interest in my film. It is truly appreciated.

What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?

We just finished a new series of 3 short films on different students in Next One Up to build upon the success of this first film. We plan to screen them for the students and families in October. I’ve also started producing branded video content for artists and musicians, and I’m working on a documentary TV series focusing on international journalism.

Interview: September 2017

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We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series and music video. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela

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Dear Baltimore

A teenager writes a letter to the city of Baltimore to share his thoughts on growing up in the city and the program that has helped steer his life in the right direction.

Length: 25 min

Director: Matt Cipollone

Producer: Matt Cipollone

Writer: Matt Cipollone

About the writer, director and producer:

Key cast:

Matt Cipollone is a documentary filmmaker, producer, editor and cinematographer. Matt specializes in helping foundations and organizations tell their stories through documentary film and media.

Looking for (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists): producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists

Social media handles:

Facebook: Matt Cipollone

Twitter: @MattCipollone

Instagram: @mattcprints

Funders

Next One Up Program

Where can I see it in the next month? mattcipollone.com